The second-generation Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga with an OLED screen (starts at $1,682.10; $2,301 as tested) is built into the same chassis as its less-expensive mainstream sibling, but it has an upgraded Core i7 processor, double the SSD storage, and, of course, a WQHD OLED display, that justify its higher price tag. And like the IPS version, it's a good 2-in-1 laptop for presentations to small groups, but the brighter, more colorful screen gives digital artists a reason to slide this versatile convertible-hybrid laptop on to their short list. If OLED isn't a deciding factor for you, though, there are less-expensive alternatives, including the Editors' Choice HP EliteBook x360 1030 G2.

More of the Same, and More

The OLED version of our top-of-the-line-equipped ThinkPad X1 Yoga measures 0.69 by 13.1 by 9.0 inches and weighs 2.94 pounds, which is imperceptibly lighter than its IPS cousin. It's larger in every dimension and heavier than the EliteBook x360, and is slightly thicker than last year's ThinkPad X1 Yoga, but otherwise has the same dimensions. It has Lenovo's familiar soft-touch dark-gray finish, which tends to pick up fingerprints easily. It also has the comfortable keyboard we've come to expect from a ThinkPad, albeit in retractable form to protect the keys. Other features like the rechargeable ThinkPad Pen and wide port selection make it a good choice for the digital artist. Please read our review of the non-OLED ThinkPad X1 Yoga (2nd Gen) for more on both systems' chassis, keyboard, included stylus, speakers, and port selection.

The Screen's the Thing

OLED displays are brighter than their IPS and TN LCD counterparts, and colors pop, because the screen material itself emits light. IPS and TN LCD panels need a backlight that shines through the screen, leading to a dimmer display. When put side by side, the IPS-equipped version of the system looked much duller than the OLED one, particularly when viewing outdoor landscape pictures like mountain scenes or fjords. It also has a WQHD (2,560-by-1,440) resolution, giving you more real estate than on a full HD screen. That means you'll be able to view photos in greater detail without having to zoom in too much, and 1440p HD videos will display in native resolution. It's an improvement over convertibles that only display Full HD (1,920 by 1,080) like the Dell Latitude 5289 2-in-1, while the HP Elitebook x360 has a 4K UHD screen option.

Faster and Stronger

Compared with its mainstream cousin, this upgraded X1 Yoga comes with an Intel Core i7-7600U processor (up from a Core i5), 16GB of memory (up from 8GB), and a 512GB SSD (up from 256GB). Those specs match the HP EliteBook x360, but if the storage isn't enough, you can choose to upgrade the SSD to 1TB on most business laptops now. The OLED screen is a joy to look at, the faster processor helps you complete your projects before deadline, extra memory helps multitasking, and the larger storage is perfect for graphics-heavy files. These improvements combine to add a few hundred dollars to the price tag, and for the graphic arts professional in your organization, it's worth it. The system has a one-year warranty.

More Power, Scotty!

The extra boost in power helped the system perform well on our benchmark tests, particularly on the multimedia tests like Handbrake (2:02), Cinebench (361 points), and Photoshop (3:20). All three scores were decent speed bumps from the Core i5-equipped X1 Yoga, and were just behind the VAIO Z Flip (Handbrake and Cinebench) and the HP EliteBook x360 (Photoshop). The system's PCMark 8 Work Conventional score of 3,158 points was very close to the Core i5 iteration (3,155). We surmise that driving the larger screen was more of a load on the Core i7 processor, so in the end both were roughly equal. In any case, the Dell Latitude 5289 2-in-1 was the overall winner, with a margin of a couple hundred points. The ThinkPad X1 Yoga was able to complete the 3D tests with average-leaning scores. The Microsoft Surface Book, with discrete Nvidia GeForce GTX graphics, is one of the few 2-in-1s that are able to produce a smoothly playable frame rate on the 3D tests.

Battery life is surprisingly good for a convertible with an OLED screen, at 11 hours, 14 minutes. That's only a few minutes less than the IPS-equipped ThinkPad X1 Yoga. However, the Microsoft Surface Book (19:16), HP EliteBook x360 (14:03), and Dell Latitude 5289 (14:35) all lasted several hours longer before they ran out of juice. 11 hours is still solid, especially for a notebook with an OLED screen.

Pricey, but Worth It for the Art Department

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga 2nd Gen with OLED is a very attractive corporate PC for stars in your art department. The bright and clear screen, extra memory, larger SSD, and faster processor will help them effortlessly edit photos, critique high-resolution videos, and approve web site or print proofs. That said, the HP EliteBook x360 remains our Editors' Choice for business 2-in-1 since it has a 4K screen option, many more hours of battery life, a lower price, and slightly better performance. Keep it, the Microsoft Surface Book, and the Dell Latitude 5289 2-in-1, on your short list if you're vetting the X1 Yoga.

About the Author

Joel Santo Domingo is the Lead Analyst for the Desktops team at PC Magazine Labs. He joined PC Magazine in 2000, after 7 years of IT work for companies large and small. His background includes managing mobile, desktop and network infrastructure on both the Macintosh and Windows platforms. Joel is proof that you can escape the retail grind: he wore ... See Full Bio

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga (2nd Gen, OLED)

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